Latest news with #CassowaryCoast
Yahoo
06-08-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Tourists and locals warned after rangers make sad find inside young cassowary
Locals and holidaymakers are being urged to make sure they dispose of their rubbish properly, in particular potentially harmful fishing gear including line, lures and hooks. Such items are known to cause injury and harm to wildlife with the latest warning coming after the seemingly unlikely death of a young cassowary. Rangers in the Coquette Point area of the Cassowary Coast Region in Queensland had been monitoring an adult male cassowary and its three juvenile offspring. While the public is reminded not to feed the large birds, which can be dangerous, the three cassowaries had begun approaching people for food in recent weeks. In late July, wildlife authorities received a report that one of the young birds had some fishing line dangling from its beak. Footage taken by a ranger shows the young cassowary struggling to walk as it continually trips over the fishing line. Fearing the worst, rangers were able to catch the bird and sedate it. And what they found sadly confirmed their suspicions, and the animal ultimately died from its injuries. X-ray images shared by the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) on Wednesday showed a fishing hook firmly lodged in the bird's internal organs. "We believe the baited fishing hook was discarded as rubbish near the Johnstone River, and then picked up by the bird," Wildlife Ranger Stephen Clough explained. "Discarded hooks and fishing line are well-documented threats to sea birds and can also harm species like cassowaries. "People are asked to remove bait from hooks after a fishing session, and discard any unwanted fishing tackle properly into a bin," Ranger Clough said. Aussie wildlife killed or injured by fishing gear A vast array of coastal wildlife all around the country continues to be impacted by fishing gear that is not properly disposed of. Everything from seabirds to fish, turtles and dolphins has been found entangled and even killed by fishing line and hooks. In February, a platypus was found fatally entangled in fishing gear at a popular location on the Nepean River in NSW. In the same month, a Perth diver's footage showed a dolphin with line tightly wrapped around its tail, cutting deep into its flesh. Meanwhile, in March a turtle carcass was found with a "belly full of plastic" in the country's far north. Last month, specific new "tangle bins" were installed in NSW National Parks near bodies of water that regularly attract fishers in a bid to help tackle the ongoing problem. Queensland's Cassowary Coast Region was last year crowned as the state's most popular holiday destination over the Easter school holiday period. Visitors were recently reminded to never feed or interact with wild cassowaries at campsites over concerns the wild birds were becoming increasingly expectant and approaching people for food.
ABC News
01-08-2025
- General
- ABC News
Plastic banana bags clean-up underway along polluted Far North Queensland creek
Lisa Barba loves casting a line in the creek that runs through her Far North Queensland cane farm. So she is fed up with the once-pristine waterway filling up with plastic banana bags from farms upstream. "It's unsightly because it's plastic and it's yucky." She said neighbouring residents were also frustrated by plastic bags strung up in trees along the banks of Liverpool Creek, which flows towards the Great Barrier Reef. Ms Barba believes 20 kilometres of the waterway needs cleaning up, and that most of the plastic has come from a landslide after flooding earlier this year. She has been cleaning up bags by hand on a section of creek that runs through her property. But the cane farmer wants more to be done. "I have a mate who's in a volunteer cleaning up group who's picked up bags, and the bags have had baby crabs in them," Ms Barba said. "They've died because they've been trapped in there. "My biggest hate is plastic going out onto the reef." Removing the banana bags is not easy because the waterway is home to saltwater crocodiles. So Ms Barba started an online action group three weeks ago, calling for support. "Finally now, we've got the ball rolling a bit, a lot more people are jumping on board." Ms Barba said politicians, environmental organisations, locals and businesses were getting involved. "It's a very hard job to do, so it really needs a specialist to come in and do it," she said. Cassowary Coast Mayor Teresa Millwood said the council had engaged a contractor to help after securing $30,000 from the Queensland Reconstruction Authority. Cassowary Coast Banana Growers Association chairman Dean Sinton said he was disappointed by the pollution and the organisation was working on a plan to limit the rubbish. "It's not a good look for industry," he said. "Those things can probably travel a long way and ecosystems and marine wildlife [can be impacted], which at the end of the day we don't want." Mr Sinton said he disposed of his banana bags through a waste management system on his farm. He said there were several schemes looking into ways to recycle and repurpose the plastic. "That's underway in a small scale … [it has] still got a way to go, but looking into the pipeline, it's going to be a resourceful way to dispose of waste plastics," Mr Sinton said. "The majority of industry is doing the right thing, we just need to sharpen the pencil up a bit and you know, get everyone on board."
ABC News
27-07-2025
- ABC News
Three people charged over alleged highway robbery of tourist near Cardwell
Police are investigating reports a German tourist was robbed at gunpoint at a highway rest stop in Far North Queensland. It is alleged three people confronted the 18-year-old man at a rest stop on the Bruce Highway, at Cardwell, late yesterday. Police said he was threatened and robbed at gunpoint, with the offenders stealing his vehicle. The car was later located near Townsville and the occupants charged with two counts each of armed robbery while in company. A 26-year-old man, a 27-year-old woman and a 17-year-old boy are due to face court in Townsville on Monday. Cardwell is a quiet fishing community with about 1,500 residents, located halfway between Townsville and Cairns, on the Bruce Highway. Cassowary Coast Mayor Teresa Millwood said the allegations were shocking. "It's really upsetting that somebody would come to our quiet community and do such a terrible act," she said. "To have that done to anybody is a disgrace, let alone a backpacker that will go away from our beautiful community with a terrible memory. "I just have no words really."
News.com.au
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Inside billionaire Annie Cannon-Brookes' revamp of trashed island
Billionaire Annie Cannon-Brookes has bought two more Qld properties since splitting with husband Mike, as she reveals the 'big task' of turning around her trashed Aussie island. Ms Cannon-Brookes – whose personal fortune is estimated in the region of $12billion, is one of the most prominent owners of a string of Australian islands that have been trashed and left to decay after being hit by cyclones and other tragedies – throwing millions more at the region by snapping up two more properties on the mainland. 'Super creepy': Mysterious Aus 'old haunted house' for sale She is four-deep into the Cassowary Coast, buying a $1,1m three bedroom beach house with views of Dunk Island in the months after her separation from her $29b husband, and then adding a massive 19.18ha spot with beach access last year for $4.5m. The second site contains another three bedroom house, with no publicly accessible plans available as yet for how Ms Cannon-Brookes sees those purchases tying in with each other. She said 'our goal is to be good custodians of the island, and we are pleased to be making progress'. Ms Cannon-Brookes bought the 132hectare freehold site on Dunk Island three years ago for $23.65m, at the same time as another 15ha beachfront segment that slotted into it for $3.85m. The purchases were just months before she and husband tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes separated in 2023, with the richlister then also signing a 30-year lease with the Cassowary Coast Regional Council for the public access area at Dunk Island Spit – which is the first area she has revealed to the public just last week in stage 1 of bringing the island back to life. How NRL stars are banking an off-field fortune She has opened a new beachfront restaurant on Dunk Island for public access at the Spit, celebrated by visitors and locals alike. Ms Cannon-Brookes said 'we are working hard to create a family-friendly destination that underpins the local tourism sector, preserves the natural environment and celebrates the island's cultural significance'. 'It's a big task and wouldn't be possible without the tremendous support we've received from the local community.' The restaurant opening is phase one of a broader redevelopment plan she has for the island, with consultation underway for the rest of the mammoth task, including necessary rehabilitation work around the devastation caused by Cyclone Yasi 14 years ago in 2011. Her Dunk Island Spit general manager, Jason Blackburn said 'revitalising a cyclone-devastated island in such a delicate ecosystem is no small undertaking, but milestones like this remind us why it's all worthwhile'. He said 'it's been fantastic to see families, campers and day-trippers embracing the new dining experience and the feedback so far has been excellent.' 'For locals and visitors who haven't made the trip, we encourage you to come and enjoy our relaxed island hospitality and create some special memories.' 'Importantly, this is just the beginning of broader revitalisation plans. Our priority has been restoring The Spit so locals and visitors alike can enjoy it safely and sustainably, while we continue to work through plans for other sections of the island.' The council has heralded the restaurant opening as a significant first step in the revitalisation of Dunk Island. Cash-strap student turns $40k to 38 homes Cassowary Coast Mayor Teresa Millwood is pleased to see progress on the island itself, labelling it a positive outcome for the region. 'Dunk Island is a treasured part of our coastal identity, and it's wonderful to see this first stage come to life,' she said. 'Council is proud to have partnered with Dunk Island Group to activate The Spit, and we look forward to continuing to work together to preserve and celebrate this beautiful island for future generations.' Cassowary Coast Tourism's Patrick Bluett was thrilled, saying 'it's wonderful to see this iconic location being revitalised in such a considered way'. 'The collaboration with Dunk Island Group has been great and the quality of the restaurant as well as the public campgrounds and amenities is excellent,' he said. 'We look forward to further product development on the island that will only enhance the visitor experience.' The Dunk Island Spit restaurant currently operates Thursday to Sunday, from 11am to 4pm.
